


The Darkling's Soldier

by TheDorkling



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: All characters - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Im sorry that malware is even in this, M/M, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, What else is new, alone time with the soverenyi, had to throw some Malina in there, im going to cry by the end of this, no one actually reads these right, saints why am i doing this, this is going to be quite a shit show, zoya's a total b
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-10 10:20:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17424044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDorkling/pseuds/TheDorkling
Summary: You (Y/n) (L/n) are the Darkling's newest recruit but after a few compromising encounters, the soverenyi takes quite a liking to you. This is going to be a crazy mess, just bear with me, please.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been debating posting on here for a while, I've really just been too nervous. Plus I'm super inconsistent with writing fanfiction, just a warning. I hope you enjoy this!

A bead of sweat tracked down the right side of my forehead in the hot Ravkan sun. Though it was only March, and the weather had just begun to rise slightly in temperature, I was profusely sweating under my olive military jacket. Or maybe it was because Ivan was sneering as he watched my every move, and the Darkling wore no expression at all. Let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and nodded at Botkin, a mercenary who apparently trained all of the Second Army... and was the man I had to beat to pass my final round of testing.

  
Wrapped up in my own thoughts I didn't realize Botkin and crossed the ring taking advantage of my obvious negligence and cuffed me hard on my jaw. I gasped abruptly stepping back and attempted to regain my composure. Violently shaking my head I stepped over my feet in a strategical manner around the ring.   
  
"Remember (y/n), one foot out of that ring and this all would have been a waste of everyone's time." Ivan snapped, as I kept my eyes locked on Botkin. Nothing would distract me this time. When Botkin came this time, I was ready. I quickly stepped around the Shu and dodged an elbow he flung outward behind him. Remembering my training I hit a pressure point in the back of his neck and upon seeing his body turn rigid, I launched a well-aimed kick to the small of his back, thus efficiently knocking him entirely out the ring. Sweating and panting I turned to Ivan, speaking in a low tone. "May I step out of the ring now?" Ivan gave a curt nod sneer entirely eradicated from his face.   
  
I moved to the outside of the ring, carefully treading over to Botkin's now reawakening figure. Tentatively I reached out offering the mercenary help. He waved me off, and when he fully stood he wore a smile on his face; teeth- or whatever teeth he had left rather, out on display. Cracking his neck, he turned to the Darkling and spoke in a gruff tone "Girl is strong. She will protect and fight as well as any other soldier you have."   
  
I flushed slightly at the open praise, subconsciously reaching up to the side of my jaw that was now definitely beginning to bruise. Pain splintered my vision and suddenly, when I added additional pressure I cried out. Botkin glanced at me briefly, then gestured to Fedyor. "Take girl to healer. Her face not good."   
  
"Come on then." Fedyor quipped. I liked Fedyor far better than Ivan. He was nice, Ivan... well he... I probably just shouldn't even finish that statement. The walk to the infirmary was quiet, birds chirping around quietly as I began to actually survey the area. Snow still blanketed large fields of grass that were guarded by a canopy of pine trees. Tree's that happened to be pitiably bare were layered with frost and buds looked quite ready to burst through the icy layer of protection. We reached the Little Palace and used an entrance on the side of the building, one that would soon be of no mystery to me.   
  
Fedyor moved at a brisk pace through a set of ebony double doors that lead into the domed hall, but I couldn't stop the slowed progression of my steps as I gawked hopelessly at the chandeliers that hung low from the ceiling. I didn't realize just how's leisurely my stride had become- until I effectively lost sight of the Heartrender. rushing in the direction I'd seen him traveling in I spotted him just at the end of the hallway.   
  
"Wa-!" I shut my mouth just about as quickly as I opened it, nerves setting themselves on fire with the movement. Gathering myself I ran down the hallway and found myself looking at a very relieved Fedyor. He smiled apologetically and took me by the arm to lead me to one of the healers nearby. A kind looking, woman, cloaked in a red kefta embroidered with grey cuffs sat next to me on a bed and gently pulled my hand away from my jaw. Her lips curved into a slight frown as she looked at the injury.  
  
She glanced at Fedyor over her shoulder. "Who's responsible for this?" Fedyor shuffled on his feet before responding. "Botkin. She was going through her last examination." The healer grumbled something under her breath as she returned to looking at my probably broken jaw. Slowly and steadily she began to glide her fingers over the bruised area. The itching that came with the cooling sensation was nearly unbearable. But ask quickly as it started; it was over. I sighed my hand mindlessly wandering up to brush against my skin that had been bruised only moments before.  
  
"I thought it took longer for healers to reconstruct bone?" I questioned quietly, utterly mystified at the fact that my jaw felt good as new. She looked at me and raised a brow, then smiled softly.  
  
"Your jaw was only dislocated, the bruise was what caused the inflammation and stiffness you felt shortly thereafter the dislocation." she clarified. I nodded along to what she said, but I honestly wasn't listening. My mind wandered back to the ring- though Botkin said I was a strong fighter didn't mean that the Darkling would necessarily select me to be part of his guard. He may see it as a risk not worth taking. I sighed heavily, looking out the window.  
  
If I were to not be selected it would essentially mean death for me. It would mean returning back to my post in Novokribirsk. Back to being next to the fold. Fedyor seemed to notice my change in demeanor.  
  
"I think it's time we head back to our quarter's we'll need to settle out where your bunk is going to be. Trust me you'll want to be nowhere near Ivan or Eyrk. They are horrible snorers. They'll keep you up all night." I glanced up sharply at Fedyor.  
  
"You think he selected me?" I squeaked uncertainly.  
  
His expression became smug. "I know he did. He may not have said anything, but I have a feeling." I wilted back down into my seat. I couldn't afford to get my hopes up. "Hey." Feydor gently put his hands on my shoulders and gave me a little shake. "Do you know how many men tried to take down Botkin before you did. And not to mention you did it with a dislocated jaw for saint's sake! Be proud of yourself. Now come on!" He barked playfully, pulling me to my feet.  
  
I waved at the healer, thanking her again as we left. And I when I entered the dome hall I felt like I belonged. I tailed Feydor closely this time when we passed through the ebony doors behind the Darkling's table. There was no turning back now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I will probably won't update for a few days after this chapter... I just had some free time today and figured why not?

The next few weeks passed in a serious haze. Feydor was, in fact, correct about my selection- and I ended sleeping in a room of snoring men. But something didn't make sense. Why would a woman sleep in the same quarters as men, I just felt entirely vulnerable... but Feydor said I was the first female on the Darkling's guard and so additional quarters had never been made. I didn't necessarily like the position it put me in- but I didn't have the nerve to ask the soverenyi about it either.

  
If I thought combat training was difficult in the First Army, well then the ordeals we were put through on a daily basis made it look like a paper cut. Intense laps around the palace ground, and sparring matches that I just barely made it out of without being too terribly bruised and beaten. Even the Darkling trained in hand to hand combat, often against Ivan- and in those moments I actually felt some pity for the soverenyi's second in command.

  
I was permitted to carry a rifle in the first army, but never a pistol even remotely _close_ to the caliber of the one Eyrk gave me. It turns out I wasn't the only non-Grisha in the Darkling's guard. Which honestly struck me as odd. Everyone always thought that the _oprichniki_  was a series of lethal heartrenders, but I guess everyone makes false assumptions. It took a while to get used to the weight of the sleek pistol on my side, but what made matters worse was the fact that I constantly felt like a lost duckling every time we moved locations around the palace. I knew I was doing exactly what Artur (another _oprichnik_ ) taught me about walking in formation, but it didn't make me feel any less stupid.

  
The most uncomfortable part of it all, however, was staying stoic during meetings with the King. The King would stare at me while the Darkling and he conversed about saint's knows what- I wasn't paying attention half of the time; because I was far too focused on not cringing at the Ravkan monarch as he sipped on his tea.

  
Then there was the apparat. **He**. **Was**. **So**. _**Gross**_. I felt like I had bugs crawling under my uniform everytime he was present, and the intensity of his stare didn't make things much easier. The least of my concerns was the soverenyi himself. He hardly paid me any mind, and sometimes I wondered if he even remembered that he'd recruited me. Interaction with grisha was rare, considering that we _orpichniki_ followed a 'brotherly'- I should say 'sibling' like code. We stick with each other no matter what and there was no higher priority than the soverenyi's safety. Including our own. I felt a shudder run down my back at thought of death by one of the many enemies the Darkling, constantly faces.

  
There's the _Shu_ \- who would more than likely cut us apart as a form of torture for getting us to spill information concerning the Ravkan embassy. Then there's _Fjerda_ , they would definitely stick us on the pyre just for even being associated with grisha and doing what they'd call "wasting" our lives protecting one. Then the Kerch- who would probably just sell us for a pretty penny to the other two for information- because let's face it if one of us were ever kidnapped, the Darkling would probably just cut his losses and consider us dead. There's plenty of us in the world... but only one of him.

  
"You okay kid? You look like you've just eaten rotten herring." Ivan's voice knocked me out of whatever trance I'd put myself in. Surprisingly enough the heartrender had begun to be somewhat kind to me in these recent weeks.

 

"First of all, this is the face I make any time I eat herring, saints that stuff is _gross_. And secondly, I'm fine... just thinking about my inevitable death that's all." I replied lightheartedly. 

 

Ivan actually let out a snort. "Don't let the Darkling hear you're open disdain for herring, he may get offended. Also, don't think about dying, you'll be fine. You were picked for a reason after all. Even if I don't necessarily agree with it."

 

"Was that your attempt of being comforting, because if so... remind me to never vent to you again. Saints." I grumbled. I only received a grunt in response.

 

We were currently stationed in front of the war room where the Darkling was talking over some sort of plans with the captain of the king's guard. Or that's what I thought until I heard a woman's voice. She didn't sound very nice either.

  
"Am I supposed to just sit here and do _nothing_? I was led to believe I would be part of your guard but that little _rat_ outside took my place instead." she hissed, ravkan accent thickly dripping through every word.

  
My posture ebbed for a moment shoulders sagging slightly. _'Rat?'_ my mind hissed at me. I grimaced openly and Ivan frowned glancing at the door behind us.

  
"Don't pay her any mind, that's how Zoya is towards everyone. And it's exactly why she isn't part of this regiment." I just nodded straightening my back and forcing my face to return to its neutral state.

  
I heard the harsh and cold tone of the soverenyi's voice and knew he was clearly pissed about something. A few moments later the girl was escorted out of the war room. I caught a glimpse of shiny black hair, blue eyes and pale skin as she sashayed out of the room. I didn't dare breath as she slowed her pace near me, and my eyes remained locked on the wall in front of me until she was a safe distance away.

  
"Shift change," Derik said suddenly next to me. I jumped and gave him a rather pointed look.

  
"Is it your goal to scare the living daylights out of me, or just how you happened to be as a whole because it isn't very funny." I snapped. His eyes widened and he mockingly put his hands up in surrender. I sighed moving to let him take post outside the war room and began to make my way back to our quarters to change and maybe head to the _banya_. That is until I was stopped by Ivan.

  
"The soverenyi has requested to speak with you." I gaped at him for a moment.

  
"When did you even _leave_? I was right here the whole time! I swear all of you were spies before this. Tiptoeing around for saints knows what." I grumbled.

  
"Just go, you won't want to keep him waiting- he's already had his nerves tested by Zoya."

  
I weaved around into Ivan and quietly knocked on the door to the war room. My hand's had suddenly gotten clammy and my throat felt like it'd decided to close itself.

  
"Come in." was the response I heard through the door. My heart had sped up to beating about a mile a minute now as I peeked my head in and then forced the rest of my body to move.

  
_'Why am I so nervous right now? I'm literally next to him all day... not next to him- but in his general vicinity.'_ I scolded myself angrily. The Darkling was sitting at the end of the table looking over a series of documents and maps. He glanced up at me, apparently reading my hesitance with ease.

  
"You may close the door and have a seat. You aren't being reprimanded for anything," he said, somewhat amused. I followed his orders and quickly shut the door and sat on the left side of the table. Not to close to him, but not too far away either, I didn't want him to think I was afraid of him. Honestly, I wasn't- what I was afraid of was making my self look like an ass in front of him.

  
"What did you wish to speak to me about?" I asked once I was settled, as I desperately tried to not let my voice waver. He raised a brow, lips tipping up in a half smile. I felt myself shift in my seat uncomfortably and my brows knit together. _'What could possibly be so funny.'_

  
"Are you happy here (Y/n)?" he asked entirely catching me off guard. My eyes shot up to look at him and I opened my mouth to say something before shutting it again.

  
"Umm, yes? I suppose I'm happy here. Or at least I thought I was until someone call me a _rat_." I said quickly and clamped my hand over my mouth after the last statement had left my mouth. "I apologize moi soverenyi I meant no disrespect I-" the words died on my tongue as the Darkling held up his hand to silence me.

  
"I asked a question and you answered honestly," he said simply. "I apologize for the fact that you heard Miss Nazyalensky call you a _rat_."

  
I looked at the table and then my hands. "It's nothing that I already haven't heard before. I took what she wanted... she has a right to be upset." I shrugged. He seemed surprised by my lack of feeling towards the matter. "Not that I'm okay with what she said, I just mean that I don't really care- that's all. "

  
He seemed in to be in thought before he abruptly said- "Would you like to accompany me to the _banya_?"

  
I felt my face heat slightly and simply nodded my head, all too certain of the fact that if I open my mouth right now- I will say something incredibly _stupid._ We moved to exit the war room, and for some reason when I emerged everyone seemed for colder than usual, especially considering the fact that I was one of them. Eyrk wordlessly appeared next to me and whispered-

  
"Don't fall under his spell, he'll use you then dispose of you. Just like _Zoya_."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!! :)  
> Check me out on Tumblr!  
> @the-dorkling


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